Fallout Zootopia: Feral Instinct
by RedBirb12
Summary: After the nuclear apocalypse decimates the world as she knows it, Judy Hopps must adventure through the post-apocalyptic wasteland in order to find her friend Nick Wilde.


An original story written by RedBirb12

Chapter 1: Urban Disturbance

It was just an average day, unlike any other. I woke up promptly at 6 AM, ate breakfast at 6:15 AM, showered at 6:30 AM, left my small apartment at 7 AM, caught the bus at 7:15 AM, arrived at the precinct at 7:45 AM, clocked in early at 7:50 AM, went over plans at 8:15 AM, did my rounds from 8:30 AM to 12 PM, ate lunch from 12:15 PM to 12:45 PM, completed paperwork from 1 PM to 3:55 PM, clocked out at 4 PM sharp, caught the bus at 5:15 PM, arrived at my apartment building at 5:45 PM, checked my mail at 5:46 PM, got into my apartment at 5:55 PM, and spent the rest of my day however I saw fit, usually involving Nickolas Wilde. At 11 PM I got changed for bed, and by 11:30 PM I was in bed, ready to sleep.

Predictably, the next day's schedule would follow the same path. Then the following day, and the day after that, and again the proceeding day. I did eventually wake up out of my stupor.

"Hopps? Juuuddyyyy." Nick called my name, poking my cheek with a pen. "Planet Earth to Planet Carrots, anybody in there?"

I shook my head as I regained my bearings, looking up at the red fox sitting across from me at the table. I looked down and saw my half eaten lunch in front of me, then looked back up to the fox.

"Judy?", his head tilted slightly, "You okay there? You didn't get into the Howlers, did you?" he teased with a smirk.

"Sorry, I'm tired." I answered, grabbing my lunch, then standing up to throw it away.

Nick frowned as he followed after me. "Seriously bun, are you okay?"

As I threw out my remaining food, I forced a smile, "Mhm, why wouldn't I be?"

"You haven't been your usual jumpy self, you don't even call me a jerk when I do bunny-ears behind you anymore!"

I looked up and saw he was holding his pointer and middle finger above my head. "Like I said, I'm just tired." I said with a fake yawn, leaving the break room as he chased after me.

"Hey, you can tell me if something's wrong. You know that, right?"

"Of course I do" as I give him a reassuring smile. "And I promise that I'm fine, I'm just tired"

"Alrighty, if you insist. Still not used to sleeping in a bed, miss sleeping in your little bunny burrow? Rabbits do that, right?" He teased

"Yep, can't get enough of sleeping in a dirt hole like back home." I humor him, trying to get him to forget about my tired behavior.

"I knew it, the city life sure is crazy, isn't it? Oh, are we still on to hang out tonight?"

"Of course we are!" '

"Alright, I'll see you then, Carrot Cake!"

"Cya then!"

I plopped back down at my desk and just stared at the pile of paperwork that had been building up all day. Glancing at the clock, it was only 1 PM. With a heavy sigh I took out my MP3 Player, put in my ear buds and zoned out listening to 'Try Everything' by Gazelle.

I felt my ears jolt up in reaction to sudden loud ringing. Up on the wall I saw the fire alarm going off, getting up and walking to the nearest exit like everyone had been drilled on doing. As I evacuated the building, I began to hear a second alarm off in the distance,.Then joined by a third, then a fourth, a fifth, and so on. The reality of what was happening hit me once I heard mammals yelling.

"Find shelter! Everybody find the nearest shelter, this is not a drill!", "Grand Park has shelter!"

I was broken out my trance once I felt a paw on my wrist and a surprisingly calm familiar voice speaking to me. "Come on, Carrots, let's go."

"Grand Park." I repeated to myself

Nick and I hurried up the street towards Grand Park. It felt like a normal Zootopia rush hour but with clear panic and fear in the air. Looking around at all the other mammals making their way towards the shelter, we began to quicken our pace. The constant alarms kept building anxiety..

Even in a time of panic as I saw everybody ignoring the street lights, plowing through with their cars, jay-running across the streets; I had to hold back the instinct to yell at them for disobeying the laws of the road

As we entered the park we could see hundreds, possible thousands of mammals coming from all directions diverging to the center of the park. It felt as if a wall had been closing in around us, forcing everyone into a small tight group.

We reached the cliff with two large metal doors on the side of it, a shelter that we always joked to be a relic of the past. A resource that could be left in the memories of past wars. A resource that would never need to be used again.

In front of the door was a large area defined by tall barbed metal fencing. A couple of trailers were residing inside the fenced in area and there were armoured guards scattered around. The armour was nothing I'd seen before, likely army quality. Each set being comprised of futuristic looking steel helmets, metal torsos, arms, legs, and boots, with their hands covered by leather gloves. Some of them were armed with guns, weaponry rarely seen in Zootopia, even among police officers. The sight only served to put me further on edge than I already had been.

We filed in the back the long line comprised of all different kinds of mammals forming in front of the gate. Many of them were talking on the phone, no doubt trying to contact their loved ones in this time of panic. Scared children clung to their mothers. I watched as a young vulpine held her kit close to her chest, rocking it back and forth as it kept crying to the tune of the alarms.

There was a ram running up and down the long line, picking out a few select mammals before reaching us.

"Cops?"

"Yes sir!" Nick answered for me

"Head up to the gate, you need to be signed in." he said with clear panic in his tone. He then ran off behind us looking for more mammals to cut in line.

We stepped out of line and began following him to the gate, passing dozens of mammals, some of them shouting after us.

"Hey, get back in line!'

"Why do they get priority?"

"Privileged pigs!"

We approached the gate as another cop in front of us was let into the fenced-in area. I felt uncomfortable being able to take priority over everybody else in line simply because I had a shiny badge and a blue uniform. We were met by two guards, one equipped with a clipboard and the other a pistol.

"Name?" He asked, pointing down at me.

"Officer Judy Hopps."

"Hopps, you're in, meet the group at the door."

I began heading towards the entrance as Nick got checked in.

"Officer Nicholas Wi-"

"You're not on the list, boy."

I froze in my tracks and spun around. "No no, he's a cop too, he's with me!"

"The shelter is prey only, ma'am," he answered, rather monotone. "Continue to the metal doors."

I ran back over to the fox and the guard. "I don't care, he's with me and you're letting him in!"

"Hey metal head, our city's moved past that mentality!" Nick quipped at the guard.

The continuously forming line behind us grew increasingly restless. I needed to resolve this and get the line moving again as quickly as possible.

"ZPD, we order you to let both of us through immediately!"

With a heavy sigh, the guard lifted his gun and pointed it at the fox. "Leave now or I'll have to use lethal force."

Nick raised his hands and slowly backed away. "Alright, alright. I'm leaving"

I was about ready to follow Nick back out when the armed guards put his arm out in front of me. "You're already checked in, go wait with the group at the doors"

"Either he's in or I'm out! Which one is it!" Then I heard the click of a gun behind me, I slowly turned around to see a third guard with his weapon trained on me.

"Wait. At. The. Door." He ordered

The front of the line began to get pushy. Various voices shouted at us.

"Go already!"

"Stop holding up the line!"

"Do something about them!"

Nick took a small step forward. "Go, get in there!" He prompted in a deep tone. "I'll figure out what to do, don't worry about me!"

"I'm not leaving you!" Tears welled up in my eyes as I suddenly felt the guard's metallic arm lock with mine, pulling me backwards.

I tried to resist, pulling against the force that was far stronger than I, digging my heels into the ground about ready to try gnawing on the metal hand to let me go. Something, anything. I was being forced against my will.

"Don't touch her!" Nick snarled, ready to jump forward and attack before being stopped by the barrel of a pistol pressed against his chest. He bit his fingers anxiously, not knowing what to do.

"I'll be fine, Carrots, I'll be fine!" he yelled after me as I was being taken away. The armed guard kept his aim on Nick as the guard with the clipboard casually continued to check mammals into the shelter. He looked on helplessly as I was forced apart from him.

I kicked and elbowed at the mammal dragging me as I was forced onto the lift. He held me close to him, against my will, to keep me from running off. In the distance, far behind Nick, was a sudden flash of light. It slowly growing in size as the edges faded to red, the Earth being shaken by an angry nuclear grumble with the loud rumble taking over my hearing.

I could hardly hear myself screaming his name over and over as the blast grew larger, a shockwave of force tearing through the city. I watched as the two sliding doors slowly locked us in, mammals once in line began to try and overpower the guards, running and tripping over each other as they clambered for the entrance. I didn't hear any gunshots over the explosion but I did see multiple mammals suddenly hit the ground as blood pooled around them. Two guards inside the vault took up arms and began to pick off anyone who managed to reach the gates. The entrance sealed shut with somebody's arm stuck in the door, slowly crushing before coming clean off. I watched in horror as the world I once knew was reduced to smothering ash and the mammals I'd once protected had gone feral in desperation.

My throat quickly grew hoarse from screaming as the lift began to descend. The metallic grinding of the lowering platform mixed with the screams and cries of those on it like a warped harmony while the guards stood stoically on each corner.


End file.
